


Closing Soon

by neo_trickster



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Donut makes a brief appearance, Fluff and Humor, Freckles is Caboose's dog, Grocery Store, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-01 15:55:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4025905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neo_trickster/pseuds/neo_trickster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by a Tumblr prompt:</p><p>That one asshole customer that always comes in 5 minutes before the store is about to close au</p>
            </blockquote>





	Closing Soon

**Author's Note:**

> Church owns a small grocery store and Caboose keeps coming by right before close.

Church glances at his watch for the 3rd time in a minute. He looks from his watch to the small grocery store door, praying that someone doesn’t walk in 5 minutes before the store’s scheduled to close. He’s had enough of shitty customers and their shitty attitudes making his day shitty. He hears the door open and doesn’t even try holding in his sigh. Why should he? He’s the only one working. He looks at the asshole that walked in and couldn’t help but stare.

 

A tall, at least 6 foot, young man, maybe around 22, stood at the door. He had curly blonde hair that was partially pinned back with what looked like cat pins, the few curls around his face that weren’t pinned went in different directions. His wide blue eyes looking around at the small store, before landing on Church. The blonde smiles at Church and waves. Church gives a half-hearted wave back before realizing he did so. The customer bounds over to Church.

 

“Hi! My name’s Michael J. Caboose, but people call me Caboose. Not sure why, but they do. What’s your name? Do you sell dog food? I have a dog named Freckles and he needs food. He’s a big dog. Kinda mean looking but he’s sweet.” The blonde said, all with his bright smile.

 

Church blinks a few times, trying to process all the information he was given in less than a minute.

 

“Hi…Caboose. Names Leonard Church, people call me Church. I prefer it that way.” Church says, trying to remember what else was asked. “Oh yeah, we got dog food. It’ll be on the far wall, near those packages of beef jerky”, he says while gesturing to the area with the dog food Caboose was looking for.

 

Caboose looks at the place Church pointed at before, walking over there and grabbing an armful of cans. And with arms that toned, he can carry a lot, Church speculated. He shakes his head and tells himself not to check out the blonde as Caboose walks over to the register and puts down his armful of cans.

 

“Aw man, Freckles loves this kind!” Caboose says. There’s a beat of silence as Church scans the cans. “…he will be very happy. Yes.”

 

Church snorts, finding Caboose a lot less irritating then when he first walked in. Must be the boyish charm.

 

Church finishes scanning all of the cans, Caboose pays and gathers up the plastic bags.

 

“Well! Thank you Mr. Church! You’re so nice, I’m sure we’ll be great friends!” Caboose says, before walking out.

 

Church leans on the counter for a few minutes, thinking about the fucking weird guy. But he can’t bring himself to be completely annoyed. He sighs. He hopes the kid doesn’t make a habit of stopping by right before close.

 

* * *

 

 

Son of a bitch.

 

This guy’s been in here every few days, always buying an armful of dog food cans, and always a few minutes before Church closes the store. Church thinks to himself that Caboose is just fucking with him, because who needs to buy that much dog food.

 

“Ok seriously Caboose, do you actually need that much fucking dog food? Don’t you only have one dog?”

 

Caboose looks up at Church once he’s set the cans down on the counter, and tilts his head.

 

“Why of course best friend! Freckles needs his food so that he can grow big and strong and healthy because it’s sad when a dog is sick no dog should be sick Church that’s just horrib-“

 

Church lifts a hand to Caboose’s mouth, stopping the flow of words.

 

“Ok yeah, I fucking get it. Sick dog is bad dog.” Church sighs out. His mind floats to something Caboose said earlier. “Did you call me ‘best friend’?”

 

Caboose beams.

 

“Why yes! Church is my bestest friend in the whole world, besides Freckles of course!”

 

Church just stares at Caboose, not exactly knowing what to do or say because dammit; kids grown on him.

 

“That’s great, Caboose.” Church manages to mumble out, not knowing what else to say.

 

Caboose gasps, clearly filled with joy that Church hadn’t denied the friendship.

 

“Church! You should come with me and Freckles to the dog park! You’ll get to play with Freckles, and we’ll taaalk, and we’ll be hanging out like best friends totally should.”

 

Church tell himself in his head to say no, but looking into those blue eyes he couldn’t imagine saying no.

 

“Sure Caboose, store’s closed early on Sunday, so I’ll be free after that.”

 

Caboose bounces in place.

 

“Great! I shall be here waiting for you. Because I am your best friend.”

 

Church can’t help but smile at the dork in front of him.

 

“Ok. Sunday it is.”

 

* * *

 

 

Church finishes locking up, he’s walking out the door and sees Caboose standing outside.

 

“Hey man, you ready? Where’s…Freckles?”

 

Caboose walks up to Church and hugs him, Church freezing at the contact, and then leans back with his arms still around Church’s waist.

 

“Hi Church! Freckles is with someone I help get sore and sweaty.”

 

Church chokes on what he thinks is pure spit and air.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Caboose lets go of Church to instead grab his hand and starts pulling him along.

 

“Let’s go Church!”

 

“Wait, why are we fucking going if Freckles isn’t with us?”

 

Caboose grins at him, “We’re gonna meet him there!”

 

Church gives up understanding whatever the hell Caboose is talking about and lets himself be pulled, but not without looking at their clasped hands. He tries to feel weird about it, but he just can’t. The adorable blonde ditz has grown on him. Dammit. 

 

* * *

 

 

They get to the dog park and Caboose makes a beeline for a bench. Church can’t do anything else but follow since Caboose is still holding his hand. Dude’s got a strong grip. They get to the bench and sit down. Church looks around, before looking up at Caboose.

 

Caboose is repining some stray locks back with a puppy pin. Once he finishes he leans over and lays his head on Church’s. Church wants to say something, but ends up leaning further into Caboose’s warmth.

 

About 15 minutes later a guy jogs up with a dog. Caboose immediately stands up, causing Church to almost fall over since his support left. He looks at Caboose who is now kneeling in front of a dog.

 

That’s not a dog.

 

That can’t be a fucking dog.

 

Dogs aren’t some unholy offspring of a wolf and a horse.

 

That explains why Caboose has to buy food so often.

 

Because that thing is fucking huge.

 

“That thing is fucking huge.”

 

Caboose looks at Church, still scratching what seems to be Freckles the fucking dire wolf, “Isn’t he? Such a good puppy. Who’s a good puppy? You’re a good puppy!” Then gets back to cuddling his dog, who seems unaffected except for his wagging tail.

 

There’s a laugh, and Church finally looks at the guy that arrived with Freckles. He’s got bleached blonde hair with his brown roots showing, a pink tank top on and tight black mini-shorts. Church jerks back slightly in surprise, then mentally shrugs. To each their own.

 

“Freckles certainly didn’t mind having me as a running partner for the remainder of our session. Aaaaalsoooo….is this the guy you had to cut it short for today?” The bleached blonde said, with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

 

Caboose smiles up at him. “Yes! This is my bestest friend Church. Church, this is McPancake!”

 

The fake blonde throws his head back and laughs, before sticking a hand out at Church who shakes it.

 

“Name’s Donut.”

 

Church nods in acknowledgement and understanding, trying not to think about why someone would name their kid Donut.

 

Donut reaches into his shorts and pulls out some cash. From where, Church has no goddamn idea. He hands the bills to Caboose.

 

“Here’s the amount for next week.”

 

Church squints his eyes in confusion, not understanding what’s going on but thinks he’s piecing it together.

 

Donut must sense his confusion because he explain to Church, “He’s a personal trainer. Really good one. He’s really supportive and nice, but if you don’t listen he gets super mean. Kinda hot to be honest”, he finishes with a wink.

 

Church’s face freezes, before slowly turning into a scowl. Donut is looking at him the whole time. He winks at Church before mouthing the words ‘ _go for it_ ’. Church looks away and instead focuses on Caboose, who is now burrowing his face into Freckles’ side.

 

“Well, I’ll be going now. I’ll see you next time Caboose! By Church!” Donut waves, before jogging offed.

 

“Bye Mr. Scone!” Caboose yells.

 

Church doesn’t say anything, too busy thinking about the mouthed words.

 

_Go for it._

 

Go for what?

 

Caboose sits down next to Church, petting Freckles.

 

Church looks at Caboose. This adorable blonde buff naïve sweetheart.

 

_Go for it._

 

Church reaches a hand up and holds Caboose by the back of his neck. Caboose looks at Church in confusion, only to gasp when Church presses their lips together. When they part Caboose has the cutest blush Church has ever seen on anyone. Caboose bites his lips, and then looks down at Church’s hand and holds it.

 

“I…I don’t want to be best friends anymore Church.”

 

Church’s gut clenches with sudden nerves.

 

Caboose blushes harder.

 

“Can…we be…boyfriends?” He says in a soft voice.

 

Church’s heart does a weird beat.

 

“Yeah, I’d like that better.”

 

Caboose snaps his head up and beams.

 

Church huffs out a laugh, before leaning up to kiss Caboose.

 

Guess he won’t mind him coming to the store when it’s closing soon anymore.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of picture Freckles to be a wolf hybrid, but extra huge. Like Great Dane huge. Specifically; Zeus the Great Dane. 
> 
> Follow me on tumblr at neo-trickster! I love prompts.
> 
> And please hit the kudos button if you liked my writing!


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